What are Triggers in Automations?

Automation Triggers are the first building block of an automation. Automation triggers define when an automation is run and will always run in the background regardless of if the Layer app is open.

To create an automation, navigate to the Automations heading in the left sidenav, and click to Create an Automation. Every automation requires exactly one trigger.

Element is Created

This trigger is run when any element is created within the specified category.

Element is Updated

This trigger is run when a specific element is updated. Optionally, the trigger can watch for one or more specific fields on the element to be updated. If any specific field(s) are selected, the trigger will only fire when those field(s) are updated.

Element in Category is Updated

This trigger is run when any element within a specified category is updated. Optionally, the trigger can watch for one or more specific fields within the category to be updated. If any specific field(s) are selected, the trigger will only fire when those field(s) are updated.

Element Matches a Filter

This trigger is run when an element in the specified category is updated to match the specified filter. The trigger will only fire on elements that are updated to match the filter after the automation is created and is not run retroactively on existing elements that may match the filter.

Manual

This trigger fires only when a user manually runs the automation. Manual automations are useful for cleanup tasks, one-time batch operations, and any workflow you want to run on demand rather than on a schedule or in response to record activity. A manual automation appears with a Run button in the automations list and runs against the records that match its configuration when the user clicks Run.

Use the Manual trigger when the work needs human judgment to start ("close out all open punch list items for Phase 1") or when the trigger condition is too irregular to schedule.

At a scheduled time

This trigger is run on a recurring cadence or at a scheduled time. The trigger is run in the background regardless of if the Layer app is open.

Recurring Scheduled

Use the options for Hour, Day, Week, and Month to define a cadence of how often the automation should run. Based on the configuration, the next 6 scheduled runs will be displayed as a preview to know when the automation will be run.

Scheduled Once

Use the option for Once to schedule an automation to run one time in the future. The automation will not run again after that scheduled run.

Timezones

The times displayed within a scheduled time triggers are all run based on the current user’s timezone as detected by the browser and operating system. If you are working on a team with members across multiple timezones, you should be aware that the time displayed in the trigger will appear differently for users in different timezones. For example, an automation set to run at 8AM CST will display as set to run at 9AM EST for a user logged into the app in Eastern Standard Time.